Path of Life, Book One: Finding a Path
by Jammin-2099
Summary: Many paths are available to a person. But only one may be walked. Come with me on a journey, as we see how a young man copes with being removed from his own destructive path, and placed onto another.
1. 1: A New Path

The "Path of Life" Series

Book One: Finding A Path

Chapter One: A New Path

By: Jammin-2099

Hello, my friends. Welcome to my journey.

My name has long been lost to the cosmos, and even I cannot remember it. However, you may simply call me "The Tale-Spinner", for tales and stories are what I live for.

I have seen many stories in my travels.

I have heard thousands more.

And, I have lived a myriad of countless stories out myself.

But, none of them can be told quite the same as this tale I shall share with you tonight. A story of a young man who loses nearly everything he has one night, and struggles to restore what he has lost.

Our story begins on a small planet called Earth. In the city of Tokyo, Japan; in a district known as "Nerima". It was a rather nice day for a stroll actually, the sun shining down on the people as they walked to their appointed rounds for the day, and dodged calmly out of  
the way of the random street fight that would seem to break out from time to time....

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Tokyo, Japan: Nerima-ku

"Damn you, Ranma! Hold still!" A young man in glasses yelled at a flock of birds flapping away from his flailing scythes.

"I'm over here, ya moron." A boy said sarcastically as he seemed to glide down to rest upon a nearby lamppost. "I told ya already, Mousse! I don't want Shampoo that way!" he said, as he leapt from the pole and alighted on a mailbox further down the street.

"You'll not fool me!" 'Mousse' said as he swept forward quickly towards Ranma, "Xianpu will be mine!" He yelled as he quickly and skillfully danced through a complicated scissoring pattern, intent on slicing Ranma to ribbons.

Ranma bent over backward under one swipe, then kicked up to stand over another as Mousse pressed in closer with the attack. Pushing off his hands, Ranma launched up and over Mousse, landing behind him as Mousse sliced the mailbox Ranma had been on to small chunks of scrap metal, shredding the letters within.

Well, the Post office isn't going to like that one. Ranma thought to himself as he launched into a flying kick into the small of Mousse's back. Mousse went flying forward into the near wall, smashing into it face first. After a moment, he stumbled backward out of the depression he had made in the brick, and turned to face Ranma.

"Sh.....Xianpu....will be....m...." He trailed off as his scythes clattered to the ground and he collapsed onto the street.

"Stupid Mousse..." Ranma grumbled to himself as he turned to leave. He stopped suddenly when he stumbled over someone. "Oh, ah...sorry, guess I wasn't watching where I was going...." He said as he helped steady what he could now see was an old woman with a cane.

"My, my...."The old lady said as she was helped back to her feet by Ranma. "Such a strong fighter, and yet so kind as well. How about I put in a good word for you with my wish makers." She said in that kindly old woman voice.

Wish-makers? What is she talking about? Ranma thought to himself, "Sure lady, you tell them if they could kindly make it so I didn't have to worry about any of the problems I have right now." he said jokingly, trying to be nice in the way he said it.

"You know, I'll do that..." The old woman commented as she finally got to being on her way again, "Now you have a nice day, and I'll ask if they can do anything for you..." She said again, in that sweet old lady way they talk.

Ranma watched for a moment as the old woman hobbled away, and turned into one of the houses down the street. "Nice lady. Kinda weird about the wish thing, but guess at that age, not all the lights are on..." He said to himself, and then turned to go home.

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Nerima: Tendo Household and Dojo

"Ooooohhhhhhh....." Ranma moaned as he slowly lowered himself onto his futon. "Stupid....urp!" He said right before he got sick into a conveniently placed bucket. "Stupid tomboy...Shoving that poison she calls food down my throat..." He moaned as he rolled over and tried to sleep.

A few moments later, he was asleep, resting not too comfortably, when suddenly his face calmed, and his face untwisted from the stomach pains he had been having. as he began to relax, he began to glow an iridescent blue, and lifted off the floor slightly. After floating there a moment, the light pulsed brighter, and he simply faded from existence, the covers he was using floating down softly to land where he had been sleeping.

---------------------------

"Thank you, my little friends...." The old lady said to a pair of bouncing blue and green lights. "I'm sure he will be much happier this way..."

The two lights seemed to start bouncing a little faster, as if agreeing with her.

"Yes, I think he will be much happier living his own life, rather than everyone else's." The old lady said, as a smile that held wisdom belied by her innocent nature appeared on her face.

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????, On a ship, somewhere on the sea. Early Morning

"Oi! Man Overboard!" A sailor cried out as he spotted a person lying unconscious on a small wooden raft. "Starboard, off the keel ten dracons!"

"What?!" The captain said as he himself looked over the edge of the railing. "Well?!?! You 'eard 'im lads! 'eres a man overboard! Syorin! Go in aft'r th' man! You lads get the 'oist ready to 'aul th' raft ab'ord! Move it lads!" The captain bellowed as he began barking other orders to his crew. "Low'r th' sails! 'Elmsman, bring us to a stop as best ye can! Keep 'er steady while 'ey ready the 'oist! Syorin! Get those 'oist lines connected to th' poor lads raft! I'll not 'ave it said 'at Kremanian and 'is crew left a man t'die!"

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A few hours later, In the crew bunk area on the ship

Captain Kremanian walked in through the door to the crew quarters heading for a cot over against the hull of the ship, where a young woman dressed in an unflattering brown cloak knelt beside the man they had rescued from the sea.

"Will he survive, Arrinya?" The captain asked the girl quietly as she stood to face him.

"He is resting peacefully now, Capt. Krem, but I will continue to watch over him carefully." She said as she removed her hood to reveal a tightly angular face, with pointed ears and dark, charcoal grey skin. She turned back to her patient as she continued, "He is showing signs of being exposed to powerful magicka, and the residual energies are preventing me from being able to determine how well he is. From just his basic life signs that I can examine in his physical condition though, he appears to be in better than perfect health. If he did not have the mark of the Bretons on the back of his ear, I would have thought he had been raised as a Redgardian."

"So, he appe'rs to be in good health then?" The Captain Krem asked looking at the face of the lad, "Quite 'andsome as well, me own daughter would more likely fall all ov'r him 'erself." He commented as he looked at him, then turned towards the door.

Arrinya rose to walk with him as he left, and they both walked to the doorway, stopping when Krem went to let himself out. "An' ye'll let me know when he comes to?" He asked as he stepped through the door.

"Aye, Captain. You'll be the first to kno...." She began when a strange voice made itself heard.

"Oi! Where am I?" A weak male voice said from inside the room. Arrinya and Krem both looked at each other a moment before turning and rushing back to the cot against the wall, where they found the strange youth sitting up and rubbing the back of his head. "Who are you people?" The youth asked as he turned to put his feet on the deck.

"Me names Krem, Captain Kremanian of the 'Holdrin's Eye'," The Capt. said, as he swept a hand to indicate the ship. Then he turned to indicate the young woman beside him, "and this be our ship's 'ealer for this voyage, Arrinya." As he said this, Arrinya gave a short bow, which the youth nodded slightly to, almost automatically. "Now, who might ye be, lad?" he finished, focusing his critical eye on the youth's own strangely stormy grey-blue eyes.

"I....I am...I'm...R..." He began, his face twisting as he seemed to struggle with remembering such trivial information. "My name's Ranma..." He said, his face clearing slightly as he finally got the information to come back to him.

"An' where are ye from lad?" Krem asked him next, still watching Ranma's face for a sign of anything, "We found ye out in the midst of the sea herself, floating on a small raft. When we brought ye abo'rd, ye were still unconscious."

"I'm...I..." He began, but he soon was struggling to remember again. "I was...was.....I was...." He stumbled out, his face a mask of intense concentration, but soon his face cleared into a confused look of someone who is lost, "I...I can't remember...I can't remember anything...."

"Now don' say that lad, ye have ye're name, and that's good enough fer me right now." Krem said, as he patted Ranma on the shoulder. "I can take ye to the nearest port, Seyda Neen, and they should be able to find ye're records there. In the mean time, if'n ye feel up to it, ye could help around the ship, and we'd not worry about setting any debts straight."

"Thanks, Cap'n," Ranma said, "But I...." He began with an apologetic look, but the captain cut him off with a gesture.

"No need to say it lad, you need some time to yerself to consider things," Krem said, pulling Arrinya with him towards the door. "I'll be out on deck when you're ready. Come on Arrinya, we need t' leave the lad to 'is thoughts."

Nodding to the pair leaving, Ranma laid back on the cot, and looked up at the ceiling, his mind a bundle of questions.

"Who am I?" He thought as he laid there, "And why do I remember only my name?"

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End Chapter 1 of Book One

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Ok, I'm going to need major reviews on this one, please I mean Anything!

I'll get back to work on finishing the next chapter of Dimensional Travels now, but I've had this Idea for a while now, and if I did not get it put down and started I would have ended up dropping it.

Any mistakes that you can see in the Japanese terminology that I'm going to use, please tell me.

BWARGH!

Any suggestions on other Ranma characters that could get poofed to the world Ranma's in? I will not send any of the fiancee's (As they would constitute unresolvable problems for Ranma, thus negating the wish, with the possible exception of explaining a way around the marriage problem, as going to the world would cut them off from all familial ties, and would make all contracts void.) Though I will consider the Rivals, (As they would lose their motivations when they discover there is no way to go back. Excepting of course the idiocy of Kuno Tatewaki, and even he could be worked around with a good ol dose of the magical mental healin'!)

Welp, This is it for this chapter, see ya next chapter!

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Preview of next chapter: Chapter two, Sailing and Battle: The Arts of the Sailor!

"LAD!" Capt. Krem called up from the deck, "'ow in the world did ye get up the mast so quick?"

"I jumped!" Ranma called down to Krem, while he secured the line he had seen come loose.

"Ye JUMPED?!" Krem asked incredulously, "That's over a hundred Dracons! No one can jump that high naturally!"

"Well, I can," Ranma said as he landed gently in front of the Capt. "I don't know how I did it, I just did."

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Stay Vigilant, Hunters.

Always Keep Close To Your Path.


	2. 2: Sailing and Battle:TheArtsOfTheSailor

Path of Life

Book One: Finding a Path

By: Jammin-2099

Preface: A Character Guide

Welcome again back to my story, Here I will detail a few of the characters that will appear more regularly for the moment....

#: -Name- -Title-: -Description- "-Race-"

1: Ranma Saotome: A Martial Arts Child Prodigy, He has learned and mastered the Saotome-ryuu of "Anything Goes Martial Arts", After a strange encounter with a kindly yet seemingly senile Old Woman, He was transported to another plane, and has lost most of his memories. The only thing he has remembered so far is his name, the rest a clouded haze, only known in his nightmares. "Breton"

2: Captain Woldrus Malfred Kremanian: A kindly old seadog, and Captain of the "Holdrins Eye", He and his crew discovered the young Ranma as a castaway on the vast sea, and brought him aboard. Don't let his kindly nature fool you, when Capt. Krem gets pushed the wrong way, he pushes back, and he has the strength to back it up! "Nord"

3: Arrinya, Tribunal Temple Adept: Currently the Healer for the Voyage Kremanian was on when he discovered Ranma as a castaway. Healed Ranma of his wounds and malnutrition from being lost at sea. "Dark Elf/Dunmer"

4: Syorin Stormlight, First Mate of the "Holdrins Eye": This fine young man is Capt. Kremanians closest friend, and has been Krem's right hand man since he first set out across the sea, two years ago, that was when Kremanian found him at the docks of Daggerfall and brought him aboard. Excellent fighter and an astounding navigator and seaman, he seems to have been borne to the sea. "Redguard"

Chapter Two

Sailing and Battle: The Arts of the Sailor!

"Well, m'boy." Krem said as he heard the door to the crew quarters opening, "'ad enough time 'a think about it then, eh?" He said, as Ranma walked out into the fresh air out on the deck.

"I...I can't really do anything to repay you for this," Ranma began a bit hesitantly, "But I will do anything you ask to repay my debt to you for saving me. Though, I might need a little help on some things..." He said sheepishly as his hand idly scratched the back of his head.

At this, the Capt. burst into laughter, and slapped Ranma heartily on the back, "Of course ye will lad!" He said as he continued to laugh heartily, "And we'll be the one's'll teach it to ye. Welcome aboard the "Holdrins Eye", The finest ship this side of Mournhold!" He said with yet another hearty laugh. "Come with me boy, there's someone ye should meet!" He said to Ranma as he dragged the Saotome youth across the deck to the helm.

"Syorin!" Krem called up to the helm platform, "Syorin me lad, get yeself down here and meet our castaway!" Krem hollered again, waiting for a reply of some kind.

The reply came in the form of a tall dark-skinned man, only a few years older than Ranma, that hopped over the rail of the helmsmans deck and dropped gently to the deck in front of Krem, before standing up with an "Aye, Captain!" Smiling now that the formalities were out of the way, he turned to the capt. and Ranma, "So who is this lad you've taken aboard then Capt.?" He said, looking Ranma over with a critical eye.

"Syorin, This 'eres Ranma, he can't really remember much right now, but he's goin' to 'elp out with the duties to make 'is way for Seyda Neen, and we're going to teach 'im a few things about the sea while we're at it." He said, pounding a good natured palm into Ranmas back and making him stumble forward a bit.

"Hi..." Ranma gritted out as he regained his balance. "Saotome Ranma, pleased ta meet'cha." He continued as he stood up.

"Well then..." Syorin said, grabbing a dagger from his belt. He spun and threw the long knife up and into the wood of the tallest mast, severing a short line connected to the main sail. "Get up there and secure that line. I'll tell you what to do from there." With that he turned and walked back towards the helmsman's deck, with Capt. Krem following slightly behind him.

"D'ye think that's appropriate, Syorin?" Krem said, as they walked towards the helm. "I mean, he only woke up a little while ago."

"So? You're the one who asked me to teach him." Syorin explained, offhandedly. "If he can do it, he'll be fine. If not, he'll learn the hard way." Gathering a few nearby sailors, he began to explain to them. "Get up the mast, and test the boy. Don't hurt him, but try to slow him down."

"Aye-Aye!" The men said, and leapt for the ropes climbing towards the now climbing Ranma.

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"Well, this don't seem so bad," Ranma said to himself as he climbed, reaching the first cross post of the mast. "Though for some reason, that water down there makes me nervous." Saying this, He stopped for a moment to stare a bit distractedly down at the rolling waves, then shook himself out of it. "Better not to think about it." He said as he walked across the post.

As he reached the center of the post, he saw the first of the sailors leap up off the rope and land on the post in front of him. "Well then," The sailor began, "You're 'a one tha's going to be travelin wif us then? 'ow bout a lil' match then?"

"A match? I'm not sure what you mean...." Ranma said unsteadily. "What kind of match did you have in mind?" he asked, noting as he spoke the strangely easy way he found his balance on the stout but still rather thin post.(1)

"Aw, nuffin' 'at complicated, jus' a lilt' scrap 'ere then." The sailor said amicably. "You juts' 'ave to knock me off the rail to get by, 'eats all..." The sea man said, with a crafty glint in his eye.

"Eh." Ranma smirked, "Just have to knock you off then is it?" his form became slightly more graceful as he slipped unconsciously into a fighting stance. His mind was distracted a moment as he wondered how he knew what to do, but then his instincts took over and he was focused back in on the fight. "Well, come on then. I'll meet your challenge."

"'ere it comes!" The sailor said as he charged towards the boy with a fist raised back, ready to strike. "Be ready!" He yelled as he suddenly lashed out with his feet, kicking towards Ran ma's legs.

Ranma braced himself for the incoming punch, but caught the quick shift in weight as the man moved for his kick. -A feint!- he thought as he instantly shifted his own center and leapt over the kick, rolling off the sailors back and flipping off to land on the other side. -apparently I'm a bit faster than I thought.- was Ran ma's next thought as he leapt forward to lash out with his own kick at the man's head.

It was effortlessly blocked as the sailor put up an arm to deflect the blow, which Ranma immediately threw himself away from, escaping being caught by the ankle. The sailor leapt up and flipped several times down the rail towards Ranma, until when he was right in Ran ma's face he vanished! Ranma looked behind him, and above him, when he saw the sailor swing back around from swinging under the post. His reflexes almost had him leap out of the way when he suddenly had a flash in his mind.

--------Flashback--------

A strange silhouette of a rather portly man swung up from under a tree branch, clocking a boy across the chin with a vicious uppercut. "Boy! You're much too gullible! You'll have to train harder!" He said as the boy fell to the forest floor below.

------End flashback-----

The distraction was just long enough for the sailor to land a solid kick to Ran ma's midsection, sending him flying back to smash into the main mast, and then fall down to land face first on the post. "Something's not right..." Ranma said quietly to himself, as he struggled to regain his footing. "I'm...I'm relying too much on my reflexes..."

---FOCUS, BOY!--- A voice in Ranma's mind yelled as his vision cleared to see the sailor closing in on him with a haymaker. Suddenly, something in Ranma's mind clicked, and he sank a bit lower in his stance, his hands thrusting out in front of him, one at an upwards angle, and the other opposite. As the Man's punch closed in on him, Ranma quickly took hold of the man's wrist with his upper hand and pulled the fist past him, and then rolled towards the man, bringing the other arm down across the larger man's back. As the man's eyes grew wide with shock, Ranma completed the spin, spinning the sailor around in a whirl of cloth as he fell from the post and landed in the safety net rigged just below the sails.

Ranma stood, leaning against the post a moment, his eyes wide as he thought about what had just happened. -How?...- He thought for a moment as he looked first at the man, and then at the post, where he had been standing. Then he looked up at the rope, that had been cut loose and saw the sail near it jerk a bit as the line next to it came loose. Realizing his task, he gathered himself a moment, and then leapt, clearing his way to the next crosspost, Another sailor jumped off a rope, but Ranma landed lightly and spun into a spin kick, nailing the man across the jaw, and sending him tumbling to the net.

Below, Syorin and Capt. Krem watched as Ranma began to climb faster. Syorin's eyes narrowed and a small grin cracked his face. -Ah, so he's realized the meaning of the test... Good.- He thought, as he turned back to the helm. Capt. Krem was watching amazedly as Ranma leapt from post to post, leaping much too high for a normal person.

Soon, after dealing with the final sailor, and securing the lines that had come loose, Ranma made his way back down to the deck. He heard the capt. calling up from below. "Ranma! Ranma, me lad! 'ow are ye doin' that?"

"Doing what?" Ranma said, looking up as he landed on the deck.

"Leapin' about like that? Ye never told me ye could be usin' magicka." The capt. said, shaking Ranma as he spoke.

"Magicka? What's that?" Ranma said as he disengaged himself from the excited Capt. "I was just jumping. I didn't really think about it, I just did it."

"Ye truly dinna know what magicka be?" Krem said, "But, nobody can leap like that naturally!" He finished, his face showing his astonishment.

"Apparently, Capt." Came Syorin's voice from behind him, "This young man can." With that, Syorin held out his hand to Ranma, and shook his hand as the young Saotome took it. "Welcome Aboard, Ensign Ranma. Next destination, Seyda Neen. Now get over there and watch the helmsman. And look bright about it, man!" He said, his tone taking on the officious nature of the second in command. "And you three! Back to work! You can take a little knock from a scab like him can't you?" Syorin yelled as he walked off towards the three, then pulled them aside as Ranma ran to take his place. "And for your troubles, get an extra ration in the galley on your next trip below decks. Good work, men."

"Aye-Aye, First Mate, Sir!" The three said as they also ran to take up their positions.

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End Chapter 2

Well, It's taken a while for me to get this one out, But here it is. I've really been getting some good feedback on this one. Hopefully the good reviewers will be returning when I post this chapter.

As for the Reviews I could not answer, I have gotten suggestions about who I should bring over and who I should leave behind, and at the moment, The three that have been most prominent, are Kasumi, Ryouga and Nodoka. For these reasons I have begun considering what I must do to bring characters over.

So Today I submit to you, a Contest. Yes! I have come up with a contest! This will be for anyone who wants to enter. The rules are, You must submit a review of the story. (reviews like "this stroyis aw350m3!1!!1" will be disregarded.) you must tell me who you are supporting for being brought over in the review. (At the end preferably.)

After this, please send me an Email at my Email address, -zerotraveler at yahoo dot com- (It won't leave it the way I had it before and the quick edit isn't working anymore.) and in the email, tell me which character you will support, and give me an example of the class they would be, Whether or not they would lose their memory like Ranma did, etc etc etc.

The person whose Idea gets used will be credited in the chapter I bring in the said character, and you will be helping to write a better story.

As for Ranma, The whole concept of the story is that he has been sent to another dimension through a wish made as a joke, but taken seriously. He remembers nothing but his Name and his Martial Arts skills. The wish entailed him not having to worry about any of his problems he was currently having in his home dimension, and part of that was him losing his memories of home. Please keep this in mind when submitting your entries. Ryouga is kinda riding the line here, as he could be used if I can do him right. But for the other end of the spectrum on that note, As an Example, we can't bring Kuno over, ditto for Akane. Sorry KotTF No so called "True Fiancee" in this one. Ranma has been released from all vows, being officially dead, and having lost his memory of the engagements anyway.

Thanks for everyone who Enters!

Ja, ne?

Always Stay Close To Your Path.


	3. 3: Land Ho! Seyda Neen Within Sight!

Path of Life

Book One: Finding a Path

By: Jammin-2099

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Chapter 3

Departures and Arrivals

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-In a Young Lady's Dream-

She fell forward, dropping to her knees in the glass corridor, falling up against a clear barrier she could not pass. A young man was on the other side of the barrier, and he was just as powerless to cross through as she was, but still they tried futilely to pass, to come to one another. Beginning to cry, the young woman sobbed out...

"Where did you go?"

"Don't cry...I've only gone away..."

"Please come back to me!"

"I can't..."

"..."

"But, surely, we are meant to be, and you will find your way to me."

"Please..."

"Find your way to me..." the voice echoed in her mind even as her vision went white.

And suddenly the young woman jerked upright in her bed, in a cold sweat, and she broke into tears, the dream had felt so real.

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"Well, Ranma? Have you remembered anything?" Arrinya said as she walked up to the helm where Ranma was steering. "Anything about your past?"When Ranma didn't answer her, she slowly moved around to get a better look at his face.

"Ranma?!" Arrinya cried out, startling the young man at the helm out of his meditation.

"Ahh!" Ranma hollered as Arrinya yelled in his ear. "Hey! What'd ya do that for?"

"You were asleep at the wheel." Arrinya explained. "How long have you been up here steering?" She asked as she noticed the usual helmsman was supposed to take over about an hour ago.

"Um... I'm not really sure..." Ranma said, still holding onto the helm. "And I wasn't sleeping. I was...um...whats the word...Meditatin', yeah that's it."

"Right..." Arrinya said, a bit exasperated. "Sure you were. Come on, you need to go get some sleep. I'll call the regular helmsman back up here." She said, watching as Ranma lashed the helm in place, and walked down to the door below decks. "Oh yes, Syorin says that your training begins tomorrow, get some rest, alright?"

"Yeah yeah....good night." Ranma yawned, then went through the door.

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Ranma's training on the ship was rigorous and brutal. But somehow, he rose to each task Syorin or the Captain set him, as if he had been subjected to worse training methods before. Most surprising was when a load of barrels were accidentally knocked over into the ocean, and Ranma dove in, saved the barrels, and then even managed to out-swim the ship for several lengths, before he was able to get out of the water.

But, all journeys eventually reach their destination, and soon, the ship was within lands view of Seyda Neen.

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"Land-Ho!" the lookout called down from the crows nest. "Off the starboard bow, Close to ninety kines!"

Krem and most of the crew came up above deck to see if they could get a look at the land sighting. Krem let out a hearty laugh when he saw the port of Seyda Neen sitting on the horizon, "Well well, Me lads, I'd say were two more days from port! Everybody shore up now! No slacking about even though were close to land!"

He was responded with a cheer and a resounding "Aye-Aye, Captain!" as the crew rushed back to whatever job they had been doing before. Ranma also turned to go back to his duties, but was stopped by Krem.

"Wait a moment, young Ranma. I need to speak with ye in me quarters." He said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder to the Captains room. " Come now, its about what ye'll be doing after we get to port."

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"So young Ranma, have ye thought about what ye'll do after we find out who ye are?" The captain said, walking around to take a seat at his desk, where it was bolted in the center of the room. "Any thoughts at all?" He asked, watching Ranma's expression carefully with a measured expression upon his features.

"No, Captain, not really. I had considered finding a job of some sort, but this world still feels new to me. I don't know what I would do." Ranma admitted, looking around at the inside of the room.

"Well then, I have a suggestion for ye, Ranma. What if when we reach Seyda Neen and we get your papers straightened out, I take you on as a full time sailor? You've a steady hand at the wheel, and ye're handy with knots, and know how to handle yeself if we were ever to run across some blackguards, or pirates."

Ranma's eyes widened at the prospect, not sure what to say for a moment. He sat in a nearby chair, his face a mask of concentration. Finally, a few moments later, he looked up and responded, "Thanks for the offer Capt. You and the crew have really taught me a lot. But I get the feelin' that I'm not supposed to be on the sea for some reason. That, and the water gives me the creeps for some reason. I think I'll be able to find what I'm looking for here in this 'Morrowind' you told me about."

"Well then, young Ranma. It'd seem our paths are t' part ways at Seyda Neen then. Very well, now I've a few things for ye for your journey." Krem said as he pulled a pack up onto the desk, as Ranma came up to examine what he was talking about. "I've a few things here that ye'll need. There's some Imperial Drakes in there, along with some trail rations, a water skin, some camp gear, so on and so forth. you've also a silver staff in there, we found it in your raft surprisingly enough. We'd have not found it had we not broken the raft down for extra wood." Ranma hedged a bit at the mention of the staff, "Now Ranma, I know ye've a problem with weapons, but you need some sort of weapon, even if you only use this staff as a walking stick."

Taking the offered pack, with the staff strapped across his back beneath it, he tested the weight, then Ranma turned back to the Capt. "I...uh...I dunno what to say Capt. Thanks for all you've done." He said solemnly, setting the pack down near the doorway.

"Nonsense me lad, ye've done more than twice your share of work. Just consider this a bonus!" The captain said, punctuating it with a hearty laugh. "Now come on, the rest of the crew is goin' ta have a little celebration tonight to mark our near landfall." He laughed out as he rushed Ranma out the door, going out right behind him.

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That night, they had a wonderful party, everyone had a good time. Even Arrinya was convinced into having a turn at the singing as the crew celebrated the landfall. But soon the night claimed even the most enduring celebrator and the secondary crew awoke to take their places.

After the second day, the crew waved from the ship as Ranma disembarked, along with Arrinya, and headed into town to the Tax and Census offices.

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End Chapter 3

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Well that does it for Chapter three. you guys really like this story, I've only gotten two chapters up while I'm writing this, and already I have more Reviews for this than I do for my other stories which are five and seven chapter stories so far.

On the notion of Characters, I haven't gotten any more suggestions for which characters should come over. So far, the most people have asked for Kasumi, with Nodoka being a close second and Ryouga being a distant third. I haven't gotten any one yet that wants to have their own Morrowind character included.

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, I have a character contest going on right now, the details are included at the end of the second Chapter. please get your suggestions in!

That little bit at the beginning? I'm not saying a word. you'll just have to read and see for yourself. Yes, I took the scene from the beginning of the Reservoir Chronicle: Tsubasa Manga. Which is an Awesome Manga and you should go out and get a copy of it for yourself today! (or at your next convenience.)

My next submission should be the next Dimensional Travels chapter, but I'm not sure, you might get another Super Metroid chapter, or if you're lucky another Path of Life chapter. I'm working as fast as I can on these. See you next Chapter!

Next Chapter:

The Census and Exchange offices at Seyda Neen.

Ranma and Arrinya have arrived in Seyda Neen, but Ranma discovers something strange about himself! Arrinya reveals that she was on a journey from this place as well, and invites Ranma along, What troubles will befall our travelers? You'll just have to read and find out, on the next chapter of "Path of Life!"


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